Improvement in ice-machines



I2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G.PLAGGE. IGB MACHINE. No.106.722. I Patented Aug. 23, 1870.

2 Sheets.Sheet 2.

- 10E MACHINE. I No. 106,722. I Patented Aug. 23, 1870.

[afield (18mm.

CHARLES PLAGGE, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND THEODORE'O. GLAZIER, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 106,72

2, dated All-gust 23, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN ICE-MACHINES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of tho same To all whom it may concern Be it known that; I, CHARLES l'LAGGE, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in lce-B'lachincs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference beinghad tothe accompanying drawing and to the letters otI reference marked thereon.

' In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side view of myimprovcd ice-nmchine.

Figure 2 is a plan ofthe same.

Figure '3 is an end view.

Figure 4 is a side view of the congelator.

Figure 5 is a plan of the coil of pipes through which the cold/air passes between the two. bottoms of the congelator to the cut-ofi and expansion-engine.

My invention relates to that class of ice-machines in which cold is produced by the alternate compression and expansion of atmospheric air.

First, the chief object of my invention is to equalize the power required for compressing the air, by working one ormore air-compressing pumps by ireans of a differential gearing, which is so arranged that, while the driving-shaftand pulley revolve at a uniform speed, the piston ofthe air-compressing pump moves at the commencement of its stroke with a quicker. motion than toward the end of its stroke, where more power is required.

Second, to apply'thc expansive force of the compressed air to the air-expamling engine, when the piston of the air-compressing pump is toward the end of the stroke, and requires the greatest power.

My invention consists- Eirstflnthc con'ibination of a ditii-rential gearing with an-=-air-coinp1'essing pump and an air-expamling engine.

Second, in the combination of an adjustable cut-oil with an air-expanding engine.

Third, in applyingthe expansive force ofthe air to driving the machine when, and only when the piston of the air-compressing pump is toward the end of its stroke, and requires the greatest power.

Fourth, in a congelator divided into conip.'n'tments, through which the cold air is passed, and may be directed in diflerent ways at pleasure.

Filth, in a water-cooler, provided with tubes, and receiving the cold air from the congelalor.

Sixth, in the combination of an air-pmnp with the congelator, for exhausting the air. from thc water inended to be frozen; and Y Seventh, in making ice-cream directly by the use of atu'iospheric air, without the use of ice.

In the drawing- A represents the frame which supports the main shaft B, provided with a crank, (J, for working the piston I) of the air-expanding engine, and with a driving-pulley, E, which may be connected with a. steampower or other, suitable power for driving the machine.

The shaft B carries a dili'erential gear, F, which eugages with another differential gear, G, upon the short shalt H, which has a crank, -I, connected with the rod K, for working the piston L of the air-coiulenslug, pump M. By this arrangement of differential gear, the greatest power is applied to the pump near the end of the piston-stroke, where the greatest force is required to move the piston.

The shaft B, being set in motion, works the piston L of the pump M, forcing the air into the pipe N, through the two valves'O and 1, meet which receives the air at the downward stroke of the piston, and the other atthc upward stroke:

Upon first charging the machine, additional air is received through the valve Q, fig. l, which also serves to admit additional air whenever the supply of air coming back from thecongealator is iusutiicient for successful operation of the machine.

The air, being forced into the pipe N, passes directly toa coil of this pipe in the cooler It, which is tilled with water. 7 Thus cooled, the air passes, by pipe b, to the zigzag pipe '1, between the two bottoms of thc congclator, and then, by pipe U, to the valve-chest ot the air-expanding engine. From this chest the condensed and cooled air enters the cxpansion-cyliiulcr W, where it is suddenly expanded aml cooled to the greatest extent.

.A pump, f, upon the cougclator, is employed for pumping the air from the water-vessels, and thus prevent bubbles in'the ice.

The air, alter its expansion in \V, escapes through the openingsjj of the two partitions It It, which scpa ate the air-engine from the congclator Y, contain log the treezing-vessels Z Z.

By means 'ot valvcs ll the partitions of the congclator, the admission of co d'air from \V is so regulated that it enters first that compartment of the congcla- [or Y containing the freezing-vessels already longest; exposed to the current of cold air, and from this compartment, having surrounded successively the vessels contained in it, passes to the other compartments, until it reaches the openings a in the false bottom ot'the congelator, through which it passes into the space surrounding thepipcs T, and, finally, passing from the congelator, by the tube a, through the coil in the cooler 11 b, then, by the tube 0, back to the pump M.

To use to the best advantage the expansive force of the air admitted to the expansion-ellindcr'W, an adjustable cut-ott' is provided in the valve-chest V, worked by eccentrics on the main shaft. The motion of this expansion-engine is so adjusted that, propelled by the admission of compressed air to its cylinder, it begins its air already admitted, working expansively.

require the parts to be somewhat varied. Any differential gearing may be used,and other changes may be made, without departing from my invention, so long as the machine is substantially the same.

I do not broadly claim the process of returning partof the con'lpressed air, after expansion, so as to cool the air still under compression, or the employn'lent of a current of air for cooling the pipes in the cooler.

Having described my invention,

1 claimstroke when the piston of the compressing-puntp M has passed the center of its stroke, and tlle power required for its movement rapidly increases.

- \Vhen the piston of the compressing-pump is near the end of its stroke, the condensed air is cut off. from the expansion-engine, and the stroke is finished by tho It is evident that, by thus regulating and combining the air-expanding engine, provided with variable eut-ofi, with one or more air-compressing pumps, the expansive force of the compressed air is used in the most effective way to economize the power required for producing cold, and I consider the arrangement and combination, substantially as described, an important part of my invention.

'As the volume of con'lpresscd air is in inverse proportion to the pressure to which the air is subjected in the condensing-pulnp, the adjustable cut-off, which regulates the quantity of compressed air used ill the expansion-cyliluler, also regulates the pressure under which the air is compressed inthe eolulensing-pump.

The air-expanding engine is surrounded by a. box or some suitable non-condl'leting material.

My machine may be employed also for making ice-. cream direct, without the use of ice, the cream being placed ill the freezing-vessels; and it may also be used for cooling'buildings or vessels, or for other purposes, ill which case a system of pipes may be substituted for the freezing-vessels.

I do notcoufiue my invention to the precise eoncondensing-p: me or engine, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a differential gearing with an expansion-engine, substantially as set forth.

3. An adjustable cut-off, in combination with an air-expansion engine, substantially as set forth.

4. Tlle'rod K, the crank I. or their equivalents, by means of whioa the air-expanding engine is connected with the driving-shaft and differential gearing, to work the air-compressingpump or engine, substantially as set forth.

5. The above-described arrangement fol-regulating the air-expanding engine and its adjustable outofi', in order to equalize the power, required for compressing the air as far as possible, and to obtain the greatest etfect ot' the power reproduced by the expanding air, substantially as'set forth.

CHARLES PLAGGE.

Witnesses:

DANIEL Baum), WM. H. SEAMAN.

strnetion above described. Practical experience may 1. The eol'ibination of a difierential gearing with a 

